Review #178 - Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength - Oloroso Sherry Cask Matured
Batch 5 of Kilkerran's 8 Year Cask Strength bottling features fresh ex-Oloroso sherry casks, a full term maturation. The cask type used in each release is unique, though there have been enough batches for repeat types at this point; we've seen ex-bourbon, first fill ex-sherry, recharred sherry, and port in the past.
Tracking these bottles down can be pretty tricky, depending on where you are - it's quite uncommon in our area, and when we do find it, the price is generally quite steep. The distillery sells this single malt for roughly $75 (using current exchange rates) in their shop, but until very recently, the cheapest we had ever seen was closer to $150.
Because this distillery is run by the same people as Springbank, we're getting all of the great presentational characteristics we look for - no chill filtering or added color. Because this is a cask strength bottling, a solid strength, too - 56.9% ABV, in this case.
Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength - Oloroso Sherry Cask Matured
Scotland/Campbeltown - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 149 (2022)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 125 (2023)
Age Statement: 8 Years
Strength: 56.9% ABV
Cask Makeup: First fill Oloroso sherry casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; batch #5, bottled January 2021
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 3 months; bottles at 100%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Fresh, strong, deep, and musty - a juxtaposition between flavors. There's a crisp spirit, along with brighter fruits of raspberry and strawberry, but also plenty of umami notes: sauteed mushrooms, ground beef, dirty sherry casks, machine oil, a hint of root beer. The sherry influence is quite strong, adding more flavors of cranberry and earthiness, and later, there are hints of minerality.
Palate: Medium-thick mouthfeel - oiliness from the strength, but not the age. Mild peat building to a medium level, and lots of baking spices now: clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar. There are still sharper fruits like orange, cranberry, and acai berries, but also earthy minerality and some molasses. Lots of character, like the nose.
Finish: Medium-long; split into three categories: fruits, wood, and spirit. The spirity funk is fading, with just slight umami/meaty flavors lingering; the oak notes have increased, with wood spice, a hint of smoke, and mild tannins. Fruit is still the dominant category: orange oil, glazed strawberries, and pomegranate are all plentiful.
Final Note: Wow, what a blast of old school sherry flavor. The casks have a very strong influence, but surprisingly, the spirit is still able to come through with the funky, savory notes - the limited age probably helps in that regard. Plenty of nice red fruit flavors to go around, and the hints of peat and minerality add to the complexity. Lovely dram, if slightly expensive in our area due to importation and limited availability.
Our Average Rating: 8.2 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.66
Check out our other Kilkerran reviews:
Review #159 - Kilkerran Work In Progress 7th Release - Cask Strength Bourbon Wood
